Final answer:
The hydrolysis of CH3CH2CN produces ethanoic acid (acetic acid), not acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde is an aldehyde synthesized through alcohol oxidation, most commonly from ethanol.
Step-by-step explanation:
The hydrolysis of CH3CH2CN will not synthesize acetaldehyde; instead, it will produce an acid. Hydrolysis reactions of nitriles, such as CH3CH2CN, lead to the formation of corresponding carboxylic acids. In this case, hydrolysis of ethanenitrile (CH3CH2CN) through acid or base catalysis will yield ethanoic acid (acetic acid, CH3COOH) rather than acetaldehyde (CH3CHO). Acetaldehyde is an aldehyde, and under typical conditions, it is not a direct product of nitrile hydrolysis.
For the synthesis of acetaldehyde specifically, one might look to the oxidation of alcohols; for instance, the oxidation of ethanol (CH3CH2OH) can result in the formation of acetaldehyde. As aldehydes are more easily oxidized than alcohols, further oxidation of acetaldehyde would lead to the formation of acetic acid.
Therefore, in the context of this question regarding the hydrolysis of CH3CH2CN, the provided statement is incorrect as the process yields ethanoic acid, not acetaldehyde.